OPI TALK

Leading office and business products vendor ACCO Brands recently reported its 2024 earnings. A few days after those results were published, OPI Talk's Andy Braithwaite caught up with CEO Tom Tedford for a look back at ACCO's performance and for an update on some of the company's initiatives to return to growth.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI has just published its latest Influential Women in the Business Products Industry list. One of those featured is Kristy Howe, SVP at US workplace furniture supplier Safco, a Liberty Diversified International (LDI) company. In this podcast, Kristy talks about her first 18 months at Safco, the launch of a new LDI brand called Onsemble, return-to-office and channel trends, and the importance of sustainability.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

January 2025 marks Steve Hilleard's 30th anniversary at OPI. To celebrate the occasion, Steve is the subject of the Big Interview in the forthcoming January/February issue of OPI magazine. As a teaser, here is an extract from that interview, with Steve speaking to Shaun Tidman, Head of Sales at Avery UK.

PBS Global Solutions (PGS) is a subsidiary of PBS Holding. It was formed following PBS's acquisition of the former Staples Global Accounts Team in 2021. The business is led by experienced contracts exec Ian Kirton, supported by a team based in the Polish city of Gdansk. At the end of November, Kirton spoke to OPI Talk, shortly after PGS had held its first-ever in-person partner event in Amsterdam.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

A few weeks ago, Brother announced it was the first print OEM to begin the remanufacturing of inkjet cartridges. To find out more, OPI Talk spoke with Craig McCubbin, Managing Director of Brother Industries UK, who is responsible for the company's Recycling Technology Centre in the town of Wrexham in north Wales.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Market research firm Circana tracks the office supplies category (excluding janitorial, breakroom and storage) at leading US bricks-and-mortar and online retailers. OPI Talk spoke to Ben Arnold, Industry Advisor, Office Supplies at Circana, to find out about latest category trends – with a focus on this year's back-to school season, which was in full swing when the interview was recorded.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In its capacity as an Official Supporter of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Lyreco France is delivering tens of thousands of items of office furniture to dozens of locations. What has this meant in terms of organisation and logistics? What have been the main challenges? How is Lyreco France delivering on the project's sustainability goals? What will it mean for the company once the Games are over? Eric Avril, Managing Director of Lyreco France, answers these questions and more, just three weeks before the Games are due to begin.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In March 2024, the US General Services Administration awarded contracts for its Commercial Platforms Programme. Along with household names Amazon Business, Staples and Grainger, four small businesses were also given awards. OPI Talk spoke with two of these: San Diego-based Pacific Ink, led by Jaime and Alex Mautz, and Glass Commerce, a Silicon Valley start-up founded by Paola Santana. Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

Leading consumer and business products vendor ACCO Brands recently reported its 2023 financials. In this episode of OPI Talk, Andy Braithwaite caught up with ACCO CEO Tom Tedford to discuss the 2023 results as well as some recent developments at the company – including its divisional restructure and some category exits. Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

A series of interviews from the show floor at Ambiente 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany. Mega consumer products show Ambiente took place in the German city of Frankfurt at the end of January. Following the demise of Paperworld as a standalone event in Frankfurt, this was the second year that Ambiente had included a special Working section for the traditional office products segment. OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite spoke to a number of exhibitors to get their impressions of Ambiente Working and for a general business update. The podcast concludes with the thoughts of Messe Frankfurt's Julia Uherek. The exhibitors featured are: Acme United, Novus-Dahle, Durable, Djois, Hopax, Tesa, and Edding.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI catches up with Mike Gentile shortly before he steps down as CEO of leading US dealer group ISG. Earlier this year, Mike Gentile announced he would be leaving ISG after almost 20 years at the organisation, most of that time as CEO. In this interview, recorded at ISG's headquarters in November, Gentile reveals what his future plans are, looks back at the highlights of his tenure at the dealer group, and gives his thoughts on some of the key issues impacting the independent dealer channel in the US.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

If you are an OPI subscriber, you should have seen or even received the latest issue of OPI magazine, which is our annual Green Thinking issue. In keeping with that sustainability theme, for this podcast, News Editor Andy Braithwaite spoke with Bernhard Cantzler, the Marketing and Sales Director for Mondi's Uncoated Fine Paper (UFP) business in the EMEA region. While many are quick to point out the environmental benefits of paper, this podcast covers some of the thornier issues related to papermaking, including the use of recycled versus virgin fibres, processes such as de-inking and bleaching, and the use of carbon offsetting to achieve sustainability goals. More on Mondi UFP's sustainability initiatives can be found here.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI's first chance to speak with incoming ISG CEO James Rodgers. It's all change at the top of ISG, the biggest business products dealer group in the US, with long-time CEO Mike Gentile set to retire in a few weeks' time. Succeeding him is 44-year-old James Rodgers, who joins the organisation following a successful career charging up through the ranks in both the office and facilities products distribution channels. In a visit to the ISG head office near Chicago (IL), OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite had the opportunity to speak to Rodgers and ask him for his early impressions of the group and his thoughts on the independent dealer channel.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk speaks to Ken Sweder following the closing of the transaction that has brought together leading US facilities and jan/san distributors BradyIFS and Envoy Solutions. The biggest deal this year in the jan/san distribution space is undoubtedly the one that has created a $5 billion group in the US – known, for the time being at least, as BradyIFS + Envoy Solutions. Leading the combined companies is Ken Sweder, and OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite had the pleasure of catching up with him on a Teams call less than two weeks after the merger had been completed to find out what his plans are.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Andy Braithwaite is joined by OPI Director Janet Bell to look at the upcoming OPI Global Forum taking place in Chicago. It promises to be another excellent OPI Global Forum, with a packed and relevant programme awaiting delegates who will gather at the Swissotel in Chicago from 5-7 November. In this episode of OPI Talk, OPI's Janet Bell discusses some of the Forum's highlights, including the hot topic of AI. There is a discounted delegate rate for the Global Forum that expires on 6 October. To take advantage of this, head over to the event's website for more details. The full agenda of the Forum can be found here. www.opi.net/gf2023     Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

On 9 August, ACCO Brands CEO Boris Elisman announced he would be retiring as CEO of the company effective 1 October, with COO Tom Tedford stepping up to succeed him. Elisman has been with ACCO for 18 years, the past ten as CEO, and has been a regular guest on OPI Talk over the past three years – indeed, no one has taken part more times than him. In this episode, recorded on 14 August, Elisman looks back over his time at ACCO, reflecting on how the company has changed and navigated the ever-evolving market conditions. He also gives his take on current business trends and ACCO's performance in the second quarter.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

As the US state of Arizona sweltered in temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C), OPI Talk spoke to Ian Wist, General Manager of leading independent dealer Wist Business Products and Equipment – which is headquartered near Phoenix.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk catches up with Acme United CEO Walter Johnsen following the release of the company's Q2 earnings. Johnsen gives his take on a number of market areas and trends, including this year's back-to-school season, the state of the economy, reducing supply chain risk and the office products channel.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Jan Van Belleghem on why sustainability is core to the development of Interaction's Q-Connect brand. European distributor alliance Interaction recently announced an initiative called Q-Conscious. OPI speaks to its Managing Director Jan Van Belleghem to find out more.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

This episode of OPI Talk takes us to Canada, where we catch up with COPA President Sam Moncada. Sam tells OPI about a recent training initiative launched by the association and then goes on to talk about the role of COPA and current trends in the Canadian business products market.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

The OPI European Forum is taking place in Amsterdam from 22-24 May 2023, but you can listen now to three of its keynote presenters. In this episode of OPI Talk, OPI Director Janet Bell goes through some of the highlights in store for attendees. You can also hear extracts of interviews with three high-level speakers who will be presenting and leading roundtables on key topics at the event: James Brown, Senior Partner & Managing Director UK at Simon-Kucher & Partners: managing pricing in an inflationary environment. Mick Heys, VP of Imaging & Future of WorkSpace Practice Lead at IDC EMEA: the relevance of the office and opportunities for the business products channel. Perry Timms, founder & Chief Energy Officer at People and Transformational HR (PTHR): tackling human resources issues and developing great teams. These are parts of more in-depth interviews that can be found on a new OPI webinar. To watch that webinar, click here. The early rate that offers significant discounts (in the hundreds of euros) on the standard price of attending the European Forum ends at midnight (UK time) on Sunday 30 April. Find out how to book your place on the Forum web page. The European Forum is just one of several events that OPI is organising in the coming months. These include a number of Executive Dinners that are exclusively open to OPI's VIP, Corporate and Ultimate members. More details of memberships can be found here. In November, the OPI team will be heading to Chicago for the annual Global Forum, which is tailored specifically for leaders in the international workplace products segment. Registration is now open, with a $755 discount on the standard rate available until 30 June. As Janet mentioned in the podcast, she is currently taking part in the annual retreat of the Office Products Women in Leadership (OPWIL) organisation. Any female executives who are interested in finding out more about OPWIL or are interested in joining should click on this link.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

With cleaning and hygiene taking on even greater importance since the COVID pandemic, one way of driving productivity and efficiency gains is through a better understanding of data. In this episode of OPI Talk, Nancy Farrell, Senior Product Manager, Tork Services & Solutions at Essity discusses how data-driven cleaning benefits both facilities managers and frontline cleaners. Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI Talk spoke to Acme United CEO Walter Johnsen shortly after the supplier's FY2022 earnings conference call. Johnsen gives his frank assessment of Acme's performance in 2022, provides more details of an acquisition in Europe and discusses future acquisition possibilities.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk spoke with Boris Elisman straight after ACCO's FY2022 earnings conference call. Last Thursday, 24 February, ACCO Brands published its Q4 and FY2022 earnings. In what was a year of two halves, the business products supplier managed to achieve organic sales growth despite a slowdown in consumer-related channels and a soft market for gaming products. In this podcast, Elisman, who is the 2023 Spirit of Life honouree, talks about the start to this year's City of Hope fundraising efforts, ACCO's performance last year, its new restructuring programme, and some of the market trends he is seeing.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

The March 2023 issue of OPI magazine will feature the inaugural Influential Women in the Business Products World list. To mark the occasion, the issue also includes a Big Interview with Beth Wright, Chief Commercial Officer at leading vendor, Fellowes Brands. In this Big Interview ‘teaser' podcast, OPI CEO Steve Hilleard talks to Beth about how she got started in the business supplies sector, her rise to her current role at Fellowes and why there are so few women in leadership roles in the industry.

OPI Talk speaks to mother and daughter duo Kim Leazer and Beth Freeman, part of the leadership team at family-owned US independent dealer FSI Office. The two ladies represent the second and third generations at FSI, which was founded by Jimmy and Diane Godwin back in 1962. Among other things, they talk about generational change, renewing sales teams, women leaders in the business products industry, and the recent acquisition of wholesaler S.P. Richards.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In the final OPI Talk podcast of 2022, Andy Braithwaite catches up with Charlie Kennedy, winner of the Professional of the Year prize at the 2022 North American Office Products Awards. Charlie discusses some of the opportunities in the US independent dealer channel, the priorities at his dealership, Kennedy Office, and his role as Chair of the Independent Office Products and Furniture Dealers Association.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI CEO Steve Hilleard and News Editor Andy Braithwaite take a look back at the main business products stories from 2022 and make some predictions on what to look out for in 2023.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

Leading Scottish independent dealer Langstane has been celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022. To mark that occasion, and to find out how Langstane has been dealing with recent market challenges, the guest on this episode of OPI Talk is the company's Managing Director Colin Campbell. Campbell talks about the Scottish business products market, how Langstane has diversified its product and service offering and customer base, current inflationary and macroeconomic pressures… and what he thinks of England's chances at the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar!   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In this episode of OPI Talk, NPD's Leen Nsouli discusses the back-to-school (BTS) season and year-to-date performance of the office supplies sector in the US. Nsouli looks at some of the reasons for the challenging BTS sales picture during August, the continued share gains in the online channel and the potential for environmentally friendly products. Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

This week's OPI Talk features Paddy Donnelly and Dave Bent, Group CEO and President North America respectively at ES Tech Group.   OPI's Heike Dieckmann caught up with both for the Big Interview in the September issue of OPI. One of the many topics discussed was the vital importance of a great online customer experience. This then seamlessly led to the challenges so hotly debated particularly in the US business supplies space right now around technology and content. As this excerpt from the interview reveals, Donnelly and Bent feel very strongly about who should – and shouldn't – be at the forefront of tech developments and why. To read the full feature in the magazine, make sure you are subscribed to OPI. Episode produced by Michelle Sturman Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

The board of Australian dealer group Office Choice recently approved a new strategic plan. Therefore, it seemed like an opportune moment for a catch-up with the organisation's CEO Brad O'Brien. OPI's Andy Braithwaite spoke to Brad about the plan, the independent dealer channel in Australia and Office Choice's recent OPIX event, held in partnership with GNS Wholesale Stationers.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

A closer look at ACCO Brands' Q2 2022 performance with the company's CEO Boris Elisman. ACCO Brands reported its second quarter 2022 earnings on 9 August. Shortly after the manufacturer's analyst conference call had ended, OPI's Andy Braithwaite spoke with ACCO CEO Boris Elisman about the results and some of the main issues and trends in ACCO's key markets.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

Vending firm Selecta now refers to itself as a ‘food tech company' after repositioning itself in the workplace food and beverage space. In this episode of OPI Talk, Toby Venus, Commercial Director at Selecta UK & Ireland, discusses some of the latest office breakroom trends, including the growing popularity – and sophistication – of micro markets. Click here to read a recent opinion piece by Toby on the role of technology in creating better breakroom experiences.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Writing instruments vendor uniball recently announced a rebrand of its operations in North America to uni. As the company's President Mike Parker says in this episode of OPI Talk, it's more than just a name change. It's symbolic of an ambitious strategy by uni to essentially double its sales in North America over the next five years as it looks to expand its product portfolio and grow its presence in the art and creativity categories. Uni's roots may go back 135 years, but it has very much a start-up mentality following the ending of a distribution agreement with Newell Brands, effective January 2020. That meant Parker – a former Fellowes exec – had to build the business out from scratch.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

Lyreco Germany's Falko Köhler is making something of a name for himself in the business products industry. Following an impressive appearance at last year's OPI European Forum Online and a place in OPI's 30 Under 30 feature, the now-31-year-old was presented with the 2022 Young Professional of the Year prize at March's European Office Products Awards (EOPA). In his EOPA acceptance speech, Köhler said: “We need to push a dusty industry into the digital era.” In this episode of OPI Talk, Andy Braithwaite asks Köhler to elaborate on this statement, and for his views on the industry from a younger person's perspective.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

The guest on this episode of OPI Talk is Adriano Alessio, Managing Director of the country's last remaining B2B independent dealer group, In Ufficio. Adriano Alessio has been a key figure in the Italian office products market for the past 25 years, both as Managing Director of In Ufficio and as President of the now-defunct trade association AIFU. In this OPI Talk interview, Alessio discusses the impact of COVID on the Italian business products sector, talks about his efforts to help In Ufficio members evolve to changing market conditions and looks at whether AIFU could be revived.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI Talk speaks with South African industry veteran Hans Servas as he prepares to retire as Chairman of the country's shop-sa stationery and office products trade association. As reported recently on the OPI website, South African trade association shop-sa has appointed a COO ahead of the retirement of its current Chairman Hans Servas at the end of this month. Servas enjoyed a long and successful career in the country's stationery and office products sector before taking on the Chairmanship of shop-sa in 2012. As he prepares to step down, the association will now be led by Hanlie Delport, who was brought in as its COO in April of this year. In this podcast, Andy Braithwaite speaks to Servas about his career, some of the challenges that shop-sa has faced in the past few years and what he hopes the association will be able to achieve going forward.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

There have been a couple of big stories in the European aftermarket print supplies channel in the past few weeks. First, it was announced that the European Commission had rejected a Voluntary Agreement for the imaging equipment sector, saying the proposals didn't go far enough in terms of sustainability targets. That means the EU will now draft its own legislation for the sector. And then, shortly after that, Clover Imaging announced it was pulling out of the European market, with almost immediate effect. What does all this mean for the remanufacturing industry in Europe? Well, that is something that OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite recently discussed with Gerwald van de Gijp and Bob Reynolds of Armor Print Solutions.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Our guest in this episode of OPI Talk is Jeanette Bresitz, Managing Director of UK dealer group Office Friendly.  OPI's Heike Dieckmann spoke to Bresitz for the Big Interview in the June issue of OPI. About a year into the job at Office Friendly but with plenty of experience in our industry, she quickly addressed some simple necessities for the group's dealer members. Throwing off the shackles of a restricted core office products offering was just one of them, an endeavour that also involves some serious conversations with the wholesale community.  This is an excerpt from the interview. For more in-depth information and to read the full feature in the magazine, make sure you are subscribed to OPI.   Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk speaks with Alain Josse, Managing Director of RAJA Office. On 19 May 2022, European packaging, industrial equipment and business products reseller RAJA held a press conference in the French capital, Paris. After the conference, OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite caught up with Alain Josse, recently named as Managing Director of the RAJA Office Division, which largely consists of former assets of Staples Solutions and Office Depot Europe. Alain provides details of the new executive board setup at RAJA, the 2021 performance of RAJA Office, the strategy for Viking – acquired in the final quarter of 2021 – and how RAJA plans to grow in the contract space.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Deputy Editor Michelle Sturman reveals more about OPI's CSR mission and why this is a crucial topic for the business products industry. The environment has been an important part of OPI's editorial coverage for many years. Now, as OPI Deputy Editor Michelle Sturman explains, it is something that will be featured in even more depth in the future in line with our new CSR mission statement.

OPI Talk speaks with Tricia Judge, a leading authority on remanufacturing in the imaging supplies industry. 14 April 2022 is Global Reman Day, a worldwide initiative to promote and raise awareness of the remanufacturing industry across many sectors – including imaging equipment and consumables. To mark this occasion, the guest on this episode of OPI Talk is Tricia Judge, Executive Director of the International Imaging Technology Council. Tricia is a globally recognised authority in the imaging supplies channel and a strong advocate of remanufacturing. Topics covered include the state of the remanufacturing industry, pressures from OEMs and newbuild cartridge producers, and environmental issues.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Alan Calder, Marketing Manager at Nemo Office Club, talks about his group's Keep It Local campaign. The COVID-19 pandemic put a renewed focus on buying from local businesses and supporting local communities. Even before that, UK dealer group Nemo Office Club had been fighting the buy local corner. Now, it has taken things further by establishing a longer-term campaign called Keep It Local and will shortly be running the very first Keep It Local week. OPI's Andy Braithwaite caught up with Nemo Office Club Market Manager Alan Calder to find out more about the campaign and look at some of the issues impacting the buy local movement.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Stewart Superior Managing Director Geoff Betts was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the European business products sector at the recent 2022 European Office Products Awards in Amsterdam. In this episode of OPI Talk, Betts reflects on some of the secrets of his success and gives his views on the current state of the industry – including some potentially controversial comments on procurement. He also reveals some exciting news about how Stewart Superior is helping its customers overcome supply chain challenges.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

Earlier this month, POS data and market intelligence firm The NPD Group released some eye-catching numbers for the US office supplies industry in 2021. Revenue increased by 11% versus 2020 to $14.5 billion, a figure that was also 12% higher than pre-pandemic 2019. In this episode of OPI Talk, Andy Braithwaite speaks to NPD Industry Analyst Leen Nsouli about those 2021 results. What were the drivers behind the double-digit growth two years in a row? What were some of the key category highlights? Was there any share shift between online and bricks-and-mortar? What can we expect in 2022? Listen to the interview to discover the answers to these questions, and more!   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk's Andy Braithwaite spoke to Acme United CEO Walter Johnsen on 2 March, shortly after the company's latest earnings release that showed another record year for the supplier. Walter talks about the challenges of doing business – both this year and last year – provides some colour on Acme's 2021 results, gives his views on what the invasion of Ukraine might mean, and looks ahead to what might be in store for 2022.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Our guest in this episode of OPI Talk is Jeanine Goddard, Creative Director at office furniture manufacturer Bisley. Starting out, in office products terms, with steel waste paper bins, Bisley has been around for a long time and has always been known for high quality and for innovation.  OPI's Heike Dieckmann spoke to Goddard for a How to… guide in the March issue of OPI, discussing workplace trends as well as the essentials for employers to get right in a post-COVID office.  This is an excerpt from the interview. For more in-depth information and to read the full feature in the magazine, make sure you are subscribed to OPI.

2021 was a record year for ACCO as its PowerA acquisition at the end of 2020 drove annual sales over the $2 billion mark for the first time. But it wasn't just about PowerA. ACCO posted healthy comparable growth too, with EMEA leading the way, up by 15%, and improvements in the other two reporting regions. In this episode of OPI Talk, OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite looks at ACCO's 2021 results with CEO Boris Elisman. Topics covered include key sales channels, price increases, supply chain issues and ACCO's M&A plans.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI Talk speaks with Ben Jarvis, Product Manager at ECI Software Solutions. The stakes have never been higher for independent resellers to have robust technology tools for both customer-facing transactions and back-office productivity efficiencies. With this in mind, this episode of OPI Talk features Ben Jarvis, Product Manager at ECI Software Solutions in the UK. He gives his take on how dealers stack up on the technology front, provides insight into recent category trends, and offers tips on how resellers can make the most of the tools they have at their disposal.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Recently on the opi.net news service, we reported on the acquisition of leading US dealer Source Office & Technology by The Supply Room. OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite caught up with Source founder John Givens and The Supply Room COO Yancey Jones Jr to learn more about the transaction and discuss The Supply Room's growth strategy.   Episode produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg